Reimagining Community Development: Integrating Ontological Perspectives of Claro R. Ceniza and Existential Philosophy of Florentino H. Hornedo

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On Data and Development Economics

 by Alan A. Cajes, PhD

In an article entitled Development Economics, Debraj Ray discusses and explains some concepts that are central to the study of development economics, which studies the economies of the developing countries. The concepts include the conventional growth theory (movement to a steady state), the notion of convergence (getting some parameters right), nonconvergence viewpoint (movement along different paths due to differences in histories, institutions, etc.), and the issues related to the microeconomics of development (credit market, collective action for public goods, conflicts, institutional effects).

Although the author describes the concepts and how such concepts affect our understanding of development path of nations, Ray does not take any side. What can be inferred from the discussion is the non-empirical approach in discussing the concepts. The concepts, for instance, could not be used to assess the predicament of the Philippines as a national economy. Some of the concepts are explained via the experiences of different economies that have varied historical and related experiences. The author, however, points to the direction of empirical research in development economics. As researchers use information and communication technology (ICT)-aided empirical studies, there is a direction towards induction based on observations and hard knowledge.

I learned a lot while trying to grasp the various concepts presented in the article. This reminds me of a Facebook post by an economist from another university claiming that economics is moving away from theoretical analysis (theory explains the data) to data-based analysis (facts first, theory later). This also reminds me of Dr. Cielito Habito’s “PiTik” test or the use of key economic indicators like “presyo, trabahao and kita” (prices, jobs and incomes). 

In one session where I had the opportunity to sit down with friends of Dr. Habito, he explained to us the other dimensions of economic development. He did not begin with theories or concepts. He showed us health and environment-related data. One has something to do with the issue of sustainability. Overfishing and extensive farming, which do not respect the ecological limits, will eventually constrain production, and then later the market prices.

Thus, the challenge posed by climate change, sea-level rise and related disasters will have to be factored in by specific communities and local government units (LGUs) because the negative effects are differentiated. Specific data on these issues will have to be gathered and analyzed so that these inform local policies and decisions.

I affirm this observation given some experiences I have in conducting natural resources and vulnerability assessments of some LGUs with funding support from the Climate Change Commission. What is evident is that communities need to generate quantitative data on the ground to inform economic policies. Thus, data science and data analytics is gaining ground as a tool for analysis by various disciplines, including economics.

On New Growth Theory

by A. Salces Cajes, PhD

There is no single formula for development. Economic development is not just about infrastructure and economic activities, but also covers knowledge, institutions, and culture. The new growth theory underscores the role of ideas in promoting economic growth. The proper implementation of good ideas can increase the country’s total productivity. Innovation serves as a catalyst to hasten the occurrence of development, and  innovation can be used to offset diminishing returns.  Indeed, sound ideas are part of human capital. Thus entrepreneurial ability, as a form of human capital, can help accelerate the process of economic development.

Structural changes and better economic outcomes can also be fostered by scientific ideas and rationality. That is why the importation of ideas is generally accepted as a strategy to stimulate economic development. However, ideas are an insufficient, although a necessary, condition for development. Bad ideas have wreaked havoc on the economies of many nations. Hence, the rejection of bad ideas is as important as the adoption of good ideas.

The story of economic development is paved with good and bad ideas. This is clearly demonstrated by the experiences of several socialist countries. In the case of the Philippines, the infusion of liberal ideas eventually awakened the consciousness of the natives about the bad economic situation they had after more than three centuries of Spanish domination. The lessons that the Ilustrados gained, by visiting and studying in other countries, enabled them to distinguish between right and wrong political and economic ideas.

The post-World War II Philippines was generally a poignant reminder of the failures of the import-substitution industrialization. This idea was adopted despite the fact that it was meant for industrial countries. To some extent, import-substitution industrialization produced some benefits, such as the development of local industries. However, in the long run, it became outdated and obsolete compared to what our Asian neighbors have adopted. Thus, the abandonment of unsound ideas is as good as the reception of rational ideas.

In the end, good ideas are like appropriate technologies. They have to be tested and analyzed to ensure that they fit the context of the place where they are to be planted. During my humble experiences in cooperative development, I have first-hand knowledge of the fact that a model that works in one cooperative won’t work when transplanted to another cooperative. There are several factors to be considered, such as the culture of the cooperative members and officers, their risk appetite, the type of business they are into, the supplies of raw materials, infrastructure support, access to funding and coaches, etc.

On the Colonial Origins of Comparative Development

by Alan S. Cajes, PhD

Institutions that protect property rights and provide equitable policies are likely to promote meritocracy, thus invest more in physical and human capital development as drivers for increased income. Such institutions, at least in previously colonized countries, persist because the colonizers were able to settle. As such, they replicated their European institutions that promote ownership of private property, as well as checks and balance in government. The models of this approach are Australia, New Zealand, Canada, and the United States.

The same institutions are not likely to be established in colonized countries that discouraged the colonists to settle. What the colonists set up in the counties where they encountered high death rates, for instance, were extractive institutions that are still persisting. An example of such extractive institutions was exemplified by the Belgian colonization of the Congo – ownership of private property was not protected, there were no checks against government expropriation, and the institutions became instruments for the transfer of wealth from the colony to the colonizer.

The quality of institutions is important for the development and prosperity of national economies. The authors cited the different levels of well being between the North and South Korea, as well as the East and West Germany where one country stagnated due to extractive institutions that harbor central planning and collective ownership, while the other has high income driven by free market capitalism. 

Institutions play a critical role in the success or failure of nations. In colonized countries like the Philippines, extractive institutions still persist. This happened due to the exploitation of the colonizers using a small number of landowners, who provided the plantations that produced exports for the colonizers. This class of entrepreneurs acquired the rights to extract minerals and harvest timber from the country’s natural resources. They also became the traders, bankers, and professionals that serve the export-import industries.

Such extractive institutions persisted even after the Second World War with the Philippines adopting an internal colonization mode of agricultural development. In this model, the Filipino elites replaced the colonizers and kept the plantation, natural resources-extractive, export-oriented, and import dependent economy. This small Filipino elites amass wealth, wield political power, and entrench themselves in government through regulatory capture. Thus, some political leaders unknowingly become puppets of these elites.

Reference

The Colonial Origins of Comparative Development: An Empirical Investigation Author(s): Daron Acemoglu, Simon Johnson, James A. Robinson Source: The American Economic Review, Vol. 91, No. 5 (Dec., 2001), pp. 1369-1401 Published by: American Economic Association 

On Development Theory

Summary

Theology has been using scientific discourses to form categories for analysis and reflection. Similarly, liberation theology employed dependency theory to scientifically articulate its pastoral-theological messages. This choice was borne out of experience rather than epistemological or dogmatic considerations. Such experience led to discernment and political commitment fueled by dependency theory, which falls under the umbrella of underdevelopment theory.

Development theory was uniquely a Latin American creation. It served as a reaction to the failures of the then prevalent modernization theory and the national development project driven by import substitution industrialization. But it was also a departure from the orthodox Marxist analysis of development in low income countries.

The template for development after the Second World War was the structural functionalist prescription of the West, such as England and North America. This template implied formulating policies and creating institutions that embrace free market capitalism, i.e., export-oriented, modern, capitalistic and industrial world. Dependency theory was critical of this approach because it established, among others, a dependency relationship between the underdeveloped and the developed countries.

The new breed of Marxists opposed the orthodox Marxist view that capitalism is a logical step towards socialism, and that it is necessary and feasible for the third world countries. They view capitalism as inimical to the growth of underdeveloped countries because the “ruling class” will keep the “ruled class” dependent in order to maintain their economic status.

Personal Insights

The dependency theory saw the lopsided balance of trade in favor of the rich countries, as experienced by the Latin American economies. To address this, import substitution industrialization was imposed to attain self-sufficiency, reduce the trade deficit, and generate internal resources for industrialization. The theory, however, failed to consider the huge investment required, as well as the necessary structural reforms that are crucial, to make the import substitution industrialization model to work. Liberation theology initially harnessed the concepts of dependency theory. But Gustavo Gutiérrez later went beyond the theory and admitted that socio-economic aspects were not all-inclusive. 

The concept of sustainable development, for instance, recognizes the social and economic pillars, but added the ecological pillar as indispensable in creating a sustainable society. This implies that the social and economic imperatives must stay within the limits of the planetary boundaries. This also requires that the principles of equity and viability must be embed into the fabric of society.

References

Bombongan, D. (2009). Liberation Theology and Dependency Theory: Tracing a Relationship. D Bombongan. Hapág: A Journal of Interdisciplinary Theological Research 1 (1), 61-91. 

Bornschier, V. and Chase - Dunn C. (1985), 'Transnational Corporations and Underdevelopment' N.Y., N.Y.: Praeger.

Cardoso, F. H. and Faletto, E. (1979), 'Dependency and development in Latin América'. University of California Press.

Sunkel O. (1966), 'The Structural Background of Development Problems in Latin America' Weltwirtschaftliches Archiv, 97, 1: pp. 22 ff.

Sustainable Development: Perspective from the Philippines

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Weber’s Theory of Social Class

by Alan S. Cajes, PhD

Source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Max_Weber

A social structure has different dimensions, namely, class, status, and power. These dimensions are key factors that cause social differences or social stratification. Social class refers to people who have similar economic interests. There are four social classes that serve as the means for people belonging to such class to gain a position in life or to attain satisfactions. Status is a recognized level of social esteem that can be ranked as high or low based on the status of other people. It can be positive or negative in its evaluation and consequences to people. Power is understood as organized power through a party. A party as organized power can refer to a political party, labor organization, business council, NGOs or professional association. A party holds and exerts influence in society.

The Weberian concept of a social class is a reaction and an extension to the Marxist theory of a social class that is mainly defined in economic terms. For Weber, social classes are not just defined by the presence or absence of private property, and the means and factors of production. People are not simply rich or poor, exploited or exploiter, proletariat or bourgeoisie. Weber did not remove the Marxist concept of social class from the equation. He recognized it, and then extended it. 

For Max Weber (1864-1920), a social class implies a group of people having similar economic needs, expectations, and interests. There are four social classes, namely, the privileged class (people who own property and have education), the intelligentsia (those with no property), the petty bourgeoisie (the farmers, shopkeepers, professionals), and the working class.

Class differences are factors in stratification in the sense that one can distinguish a higher class from a lower class. Similar to classes, status or the “effective claim to social esteem” can also be ranked as high or low based on the status of other people. It can be positive or negative in its evaluation and consequences to people. Although status could cut across social classes, it is usually the people who have high status who also belong to the higher classes. Moreover, organized power or party is a factor in social stratification. Just like status, party can cut across social classes. However, it is usually the privileged class who hold organized power.

Levels of social class, status, and party may differ from one person to another or from one society to another, but economic power (held by the privileged class) usually goes with organized power and high esteem or status. Social stratification should therefore be analyzed using the shades or dimensions of a social structure not just purely on Marxist economics.

Reference: 

Weber, Max, 1978, Economy and Society (2 vols) (edited by Guenther Roth and Claus Wittich) Berkeley: University of California Press.

On the Roots of Gender Inequality in Developing Countries

By Alan S. Cajes, PhD

Gender inequality is more pronounced in poorer countries compared to the richer economies. It does not follow, however, that poverty is the root cause of gender inequality. What brings about inequality among males and females are societal factors and determinants that are embedded in the way of life of some poor countries. The gender gaps (in favor of the males) are documented in the following areas: level of college education, life expectancy, employment, violence, labor force participation, decision making authority in the households, livelihood generation, etc.

The cultural factors that cause gender inequality include patrilocality (a household living near the husband’s family), support to old-age parents provided by sons, dowry system (payment by the bride’s parents to the couple at the time of marriage), patrilineality (property ownership is passed on to male heirs), special role of the males in religious rituals, concern for women’s safety and purity, etc.

Gender inequality occurs largely and systematically in poorer countries where the cultural practices are generally privileging the males compared to the females. In a way, poverty affects both males and females, but the physical stature of the men are more predisposed to bear the physical burden associated with a poor household.

In the rural area where I spent my childhood, the males were the priority when it comes to paid labor, such as working in farms or other forms of manual labor. Economic activities and traditional forms of livelihood are also dominated by males. Since the males provide for the economic support of the household, it follows that they also have a stronger voice in decision making.

The fields of politics and religious life are also male dominated. Traditionally, the women provide support to the male leaders and religious leaders. This also extends to the school and the workplace, where higher positions are generally male dominated. Thus, workplace policies and standards are generally biased in favor to men. That is why policies that address gender inequity are usually perceived as mechanisms to ward of males rather than females.

Poverty is not the cause of gender inequality. It is however a social determinant that is reinforced by cultural factors that are formed partly by limited economic opportunities.

Culture and Development

By Alan S. Cajes, PhD

“Culture and Development: A Study” is a 1994 UNESCO paper written by Mervyn Claxton in time for the celebration of the World Decade for Cultural Development. It aimed to re-examine the concept of development using culture as a lens in the light of the experiences of several countries. The study also showed that culture and tradition are important determinants of development. Thus culture and tradition can serve as the planting ground for a suitable species of development. If there is a clash between economic model on the one hand, and the cultural and tradition on the other hand, a rupture could occur, in addition to an economic failure or disaster.

The paper explained that the western concept of development was an offshoot of cultural forces that are shared by western countries. It also showed that non-western countries can formulate their respective versions of development that is suitable to its culture and tradition.

Culture is viewed as an indispensable determinant of development for all people throughout history. The interrelationship between culture and development was broken with the propagation of a western concept of development and its subsequent implementation in non-western countries. The author used concepts from related literature and experiences from western and non-western countries to pursue the idea that culture, traditions, history, philosophy, faith, and other cultural assets provide the context for a model of development. Thus, the role of culture in development must be examined and re-examined.

The standard idea of Western progress is economic development -- to increase the standard of people as a whole. When this approach fails in western countries, the effect is not as bad as non-western countries. Western countries have “internal mechanisms to address any distortion” since the concept is largely suitable for western conditions. This is not the case in non-western countries where failure to adopt the model would result in ruptures of the socio-cultural, economic, and political dimensions.

The Western model of economic development is a product of its age. In western countries, the idea of progress was born out of cultural assets, such as individualism, competition, wealth accumulation, and capitalism. Individualism was a consequence of historical factors that eventually led to the formulation of philosophical concepts and religious beliefs that celebrate individual freedom, which is the banner of liberalism. Liberalism abhors the restrictions of the old states and governments as represented by kings and monarchs; hence, political liberalism and liberal democracy. It also breaks away from the controlling grip of the government entities and rejoices in the unseen hand of economics; hence, economic liberalism and free enterprise.

Liberal democracy and market-oriented free enterprise allowed capitalism to thrive and dominate western economic development. Capitalism implies the use of property by the owners, and the restricted use of the property by the non-owners. This, in turn, enables the capitalists to use capital to generate more capital through an endless process of wealth accumulation.

This can be illustrated by the experience of a feudal landlord, who invests in real estate to transform an agricultural land into a real estate location. This approach enables him to keep his property and accumulate more wealth in the process. Driven by the success of his economic model, he buys other parcels of land, including agricultural lands, and then converts these lands into more housing and real estate structures, thereby further increasing his wealth. The expansion of his wealth increases his status symbol in the community, thereby gaining political influence that supports his economic standing in the community.

Armed with economic power and political influence, the real estate developer can have access to more land, including those that have pristine environmental conditions or have critical environmental functions. Since this economic model does not consider economics as a sub-set of ecology, it encroaches into the valuable ecological systems that have nurtured various and valuable cultural assets and traditions. When this model is transplanted in areas where the indigenous communities thrive, the result is a rupture between culture and lifestyle, between the traditional way of life and the modern way of existence.

This real estate development mentality is one of the culprits for the unstainable development pattern in the country. From being the Pearl of the Orient Seas, the country’s ecological footprint is now higher than biocapacity. This means that our demand of the natural resource is higher than the supply of natural resources. No wonder, our forest cover is less than 25% of the total land area. In some provinces, the forest cover is lower than four percent of the total land area. With degraded forest cover comes the problem of soil erosion, soil acidity, siltation of freshwater and coastal areas, depletion of fish stock, low farm productivity, flooding, etc. One of the causes of deforestation was the plantation economy that was introduced by the Spaniards and the Americans.

Sixto K. Roxas, an eminent fellow of the Development Academy of the Philippines, shared with us last week that those countries that attained early progress did so through industrialization that was fueled by resources of the home countries, and later on by colonizing other countries to exploit crops, minerals, timber, and other natural resources. The colonizers also embarked on plantation economy that was made possible with the slave labor from Africa.

Roxas also pointed out that the colonized countries that have gained their independence, the trademark that made colonization worked, is still evident. This trademark refers to the progress of the elites that were used by the colonizers as instruments of colonization by giving such elites rights to large tracts of land, rights to exploit mineral resources, logging concessions, etc. These elites eventually become the dominant traders, bankers, and professional who are engaged in the trading of commodities through importation and exportation. This is the path that the Philippines took during the post-colonization period.

For any model of rural development to be successful, it should be consistent with the socio-cultural context of the communities. That is why the Philippine Agenda 21 includes socio-cultural viability as one of tests of program or project sustainability. In the Philippine Development Plan 2017-2022, Chapter 7 is devoted to “Promoting Philippine Culture and Values”. It states that:

“Culture has a huge role in building the foundations of inclusive, sustainable, and human-centered development. The government will promote Philippine culture and values to weave historical narratives, heritage, and the people’s way of life into a strong bind, which will serve as a unifying force among Filipinos. This is necessary in attaining a society that is founded on trust and mutual understanding.”

Culture cannot be divorced from any development intervention in rural areas. To do so would lead to a development that has neither heart nor soul.

It is instructive to study and learn from the experiences of other countries, especially those that pursued a different path for development. According to Roxas, in countries with high population densities like Japan and Thailand, plantation agriculture fails to produce high income to eliminate poverty. What these countries pursued was minifundia – “small-farm intensive, eventually commercialized agriculture”.

Based on my visits to farms in these countries, I noticed that the small farmers typically engaged in rice cultivation, freshwater fishery, and animal domestication. My visits in successful small farms in the Philippines also point to the same formula – the opposite of subsistence agriculture.

Proper farming practices, such as natural farming, inter- and multi-cropping, etc., can transform subsistence agriculture into a commercial one that can increase farm income and break the cycle of poverty. The assumption is that the government provides the needed technical and financial support.

Managing Cities

by Alan S. Cajes

Cities are like ecosystems. They provide the life-support systems to all types of people who live within (and beyond) their boundaries. The life-support systems include housing, employment, trade, industry, commerce, education, transportation, water, electricity, sanitation, health care, security and recreation facilities, among others. Every person in cities has a specific location and profession (habitat and niche). By performing their respective professions in their respective locations, everyone contributes in maintaining a balance that sustains the life of cities.

But just like natural ecosystems, urban ecosystems can be degraded and destroyed. As members of urban ecosystems, it would help if everyone becomes aware of certain principles and approaches that will make cities become livable.

Principles

Nature works as a unitary whole, in an entirety of interactions that are beyond artificial divisions such as those imposed by people. Nature also operates based on certain principles that other fields call by other names like fundamental ecological processes or natural law. The principles are presented below. These are interrelated.

1. All forms of life are important

The tiniest plant and the tallest tree, the unseen microorganism and the biggest whale -- all have distinct roles in the ecosystem. If one of these becomes extinct, then there is a breakdown in the food chain, in the food web, in the food pyramid, in the cycle of materials and, therefore, in the ecosystem.

Savannah, Georgia, USA

2. Everything is connected with everything else

Both the living and non-living components of an ecosystem depend on each other for survival. None of these components is superior to the other and controls it. Because of interrelatedness, factors affecting one part would affect the rest.

3. Nothing is for free

Although the natural environment continuously recycles nutrients, the resources are not infinite. There is a limit up to which the ecosystem can support the demands of a population on its resources.

4. Nature knows best

For generations, nature has taken good care of itself. Man cannot determine nor dictate through legal standards or processes what is sustainable to maintain nature's delicate balance. He must, on the contrary, abide by nature's laws or suffer the consequences of nature's wrath.

5. Everything goes somewhere

Singapore

Materials in the environment are constantly reshaped or transformed, but nothing is created and destroyed. This is among the most basic principles of nature. However, man's constant interference with the natural processes and his misuse of the resources have created too much waste or useless resources, some of which have been transformed into harmful materials.

6. Everything changes

The interaction among living and non-living things in the ecosystem is a constant process and results in the transfer of energy from one thing to another, and the growth and eventual decay of all matter -- all of these in an endless cycle. The operation of natural laws assures that this process of change results in the health and maintenance of the environment.

7. Nature is beautiful and we are the stewards of creation

Kyoto, Japan

Humanity is realizing only now its true role with respect to the environment -- and that is to manage it according to the laws which have enabled it to exist for many years. By abusing the environment, man, in the end, would end up the loser. On the other hand, as man learns to abide by the principles and processes of nature, he would benefit the most from it.

Approaches

The key approaches that this writer has learned from the training program on Managing Big Cities at Ecole National D’Administration are presented below.(1)

Paris, France

1. Cities, like human beings, must evolve in accordance to their DNA or their historical significance. In designing cities or urban settlements, it is important that culture and values are recognized, respected and allowed to be reflected in land-use and settlement policies. For example, the city government mandates the kind of structures that will be constructed along the roads of Paris since 1800s to ensure uniformity, alignment and aesthetic value.


2. There are always trade-offs involved in designing urban settlements, but what should be given priority is the general welfare of the population. For example, the right to own cars and use them is limited by the right of the pedestrians to have safe and conducive walkways, as well as parks and open spaces.

Paris

3. Laws are meant to be implemented, not to be broken. For example, a Prefect, who is assigned as the representative of the French State at the local level, can file a case in an administrative court if local administrators fail to implement or violate any law.

4. Citizens can freely express their needs or desires and have the right to get answers. This could be traced to the long history of a semblance of direct democracy at the village level in France. For example, a citizen can demand a job for him/her or other members of the family and has the right to receive a response from the local executive. Another example is the case of a local chief executive who could not get the support of the citizens in implementing a project because of a failure to consult the stakeholders.

Paris

5. A national land-use and housing policy is critical to ensure that local governments can develop their respective land-use and housing policies that conform to the mandates under a national policy. In the case of the Philippines, the national land-use act remains a bill. In the absence of a national guide, the local government units prepare their land-use plans, if at all, based on limited knowledge and skill in land-use and settlement planning. The result is an unplanned development that negatively affects the various aspects of community life.

6. There are many ways to manage the transportation requirement of an urban settlement, as long as proper analysis is done and appropriate policies are in place. For example, the City of Paris has reduced the volume of cars by 10% for the past 3 years by prohibiting cars in some roads, by making bus rides convenient, and by making the subways faster and safe.

Paris subways

7. European cities have accepted the phenomenon of private vehicle owners ferrying passengers for a fee using an online registration system as a form of positive market behavior. For example, in the City of Paris, the use of private vehicles to carry passengers is not regulated by the State or by the city government.

8. There are many ways to manage the transportation requirements of cities. In the case of Paris, it has successfully used a combination of the following:

-High cost of getting a plate for taxis -- this limits the applications for taxi franchise.

-Wide and unbroken pedestrian walkways – this encourages walking.

-Reduction of spaces for cars – this discourages car ownership.

-Strict enforcement of no-parking zones – this discourages bringing of cars in certain areas.

-Efficient and on-time subway trains – this encourages more users.

-Conducive bus rides in designated bus stops – this provides an alternative to subway trains.

-Extensive network of metro and district trains - this helps prevent urban sprawl and give the people a choice where to stay.

-Use of bus rapid transit and trams - this make it easy to transport people faster compared to buses and cheaper compared to trains.

-Expensive spaces in Paris - this discourages urban congestion.

-Urban policies and design – these discourage informal settlements along waterways and areas of historical and aesthetic value.

-Policies that promote the city as a destination for historical and sustainable tourists – these attract more visitors than any other place.

Paris

9. Use of CCTVs, cars, horses and sufficient personnel as a tool for traffic management and for law enforcement. For example, the entire city has a network of CCTVs that could spot potential and actual violations.

10. Policy to prohibit the construction of buildings that uses negative energy. For example, a building permit is issued only if a property owner or developer could show evidence that it could generate more power than it will demand from the grid.

Implications to Philippine Urban Settlements

In view of the lessons learned above and the observations that this writer had noted down during  visits to different cities, there are challenges and opportunities that if properly understood and appropriately responded to, would help the state and non-state actors to embark on a sustainable settlements pathway for the country. The key challenges and opportunities are described below.

Cities need to create an identity

Strategic planning practitioners know the importance of formulating a vision for cities based on the traditional strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats (SWOTs) or on the imagined and desired future state using the alternative inquiry (AI) approach. A vision statement is the main strategic goal of any organization. It embodies the set of future conditions that the stakeholders define and determine within a given time frame. Although futuristic in direction, a vision statement, however, needs to be grounded on a set of cultural givens and social artifacts. In this manner, a city’s identify is a product of its historical unfolding. This goes without saying, however, that cities could not innovate or could not create an identity based on a clean slate.

Seine River, Paris

A city’s identity is her own soul. If a city projects herself as a place of golden friendship, then it follows that visitors will experience a special kind of affinity that only the city could offer. It should not be a city where visitors could not find an honest cab or tricycle driver, where street violence is rampant, and where hotels and tourist destinations are not safe. If a city imagines herself as a green and healthy city, then this implies that the city is walkable through wide and unbroken pedestrian lanes, that vehicles do not emit toxic gases that will destroy the lungs and reduce the intelligence quotient of children and adults, that there are bicycle and skateboard lanes, that there are green parks where people can rest and have leisure, that the city is not covered by billboards of all sizes and contents, that every side and corner is clean, that waterways are not dead and clogged with garbage, and that houses and establishments follow proper design specifications regardless of class or level of income.

Cities need proper land-use plans and building designs

Land-use planning was earlier used as a means to stop the uncontrolled development of settlements. It is based on the power of the city, a power derived from the Constitution, to limit individual liberty to ensure that every citizen lives in a settlement that is fit for human habitation. It “creates the prerequisites required to achieve a type of land use, which is sustainable, socially and environmentally compatible, socially desirable and economically sound”. (2) It means creating a settlement that jives with its natural endowment. It means establishing what Justice Douglas described as a “quiet place where yards are wide, people few, and motor vehicles restricted” because these “are legitimate guidelines in a land-use project addressed to family needs.” He explained: “The police power is not confined to elimination of filth, stench, and unhealthy places. It is ample to lay out zones where family values, youth values, and the blessings of quiet seclusion and clean air make the area a sanctuary for people." (3)

Cities must have land-use plans that are based on best contemporary practices and they must implement land-use plans uniformly, consistently and well. In accordance to land-use plans, cities must also have suitable building design specifications to ensure that the edifices, transportation facilities, open spaces and houses blend with the overall design of the cities. Cities must not lose sight of their origin, at least based on the conventional view, that they emerged as a result of the agricultural revolution to support the requirements of an increasingly large population.

Cities must provide appropriate transport plans

Seine River & Notre Dame Chruch, Paris

Cities must provide opportunities for people to walk safely from their houses to places of work, learning, worship and recreation. Researchers point out that walking provides fitness and blood pressure benefits. To encourage walking, cities should establish wide and unbroken pedestrian lanes, which are free from barriers like parked vehicles. To help improve the air quality, cities should plant tree species that have high capacity to absorb greenhouse gases along roads and in green parks. To avoid the conflict between trees and electricity lines and posts, as well as to reduce the risk of damage from typhoons, cities should pursue underground cabling of electricity and telephone lines. To prevent damage to the skylines and cultural heritage, cities should come up with an innovative way of using properly designed trains (aboveground or underground), bus rapid transit, trams, buses, cabs, jeeps and tricycles using electricity, liquefied petroleum gas or liquefied natural gas.

Cities must also come up with appropriate policies, laws and regulations. To limit the number of vehicles, cities should declare old vehicles as off limits in city roads, disallow vehicle ownership without appropriate parking areas, and limit the streets where vehicles are allowed.

Cities must provide suitable housing units

The presence of informal settlers, especially the urban poor, is a big challenge in city governance. However, it is a problem that will become serious over time if correct solutions are not implemented at the right time. The correct solution is to enforce the land-use plan, especially the easement requirements, remove the informal settlements, and transfer the settlers in suitable housing units located in appropriate areas. This means that transferees will not have difficulty taking public transportation to their places of work – which an efficient public transportation system should be able to provide. People can pay their respected housing units over time based on agreed upon dates.

Suitable housing units should be planned so that the health, sanitation and safety of the residents are not compromised. This means providing proper solid waste management, clean water management, effective, efficient and professional law enforcement, as well as sufficient health care services and facilities.

Conclusion

There is no easy way to pursue good governance in cities. But there are cities in the Philippines (Marikina, Davao, Puerto Princesa, Cagayan de Oro, etc.) and abroad (Savannah, Paris, Singapore, Taipei, Osaka) that are trying to show the way. If others could do it, then there is no reason why the rest could not do it.

Indeed, there are factors that contribute in creating unsustainable cities. These factors generally include the absence of the political will to implement rules, absence of civic will to make political leaders accountable, and absence of corporate citizenship from the business sector. The experience of other cities point to some ways to break the cycle of unsustainability. At one point, a good leader will be elected by the people and this leader will pursue that which is good for the greatest number. At another point, the people will make their voices heard and demand that their leaders do their job. Somewhere in the future, a visionary from the private sector will produce goods that will not harm human and ecological health, deliver services that will benefit the community and the government, and help shape the development of cities along such paths as green productivity, sustainable consumption, cleaner production or sustainability.

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(1) On November 24-28, 2014, I participated in the training program entitled “Managing Big Cities” conducted by the Ecole National D’Administration at its main office in Paris. The French Government provided the scholarship grant for the study. I thank DAP SVP Magdalena L. Mendoza for nominating me to the training program. The nomination was duly endorsed by DAP President Antonio D. Kalaw Jr. and DAP Chairman of the Board Dr. Cayetano W. Paderanga.

(2) Working Group on Integrated Land Use Planning (1999). Land Use Planning Methods, Strategies and Tools. Eschborn, Germany: Deutsche Gesellschaft für Technische Zusammenarbeit (GTZ) GmbH

(3) Justice Douglas, Village of Belle Terre v. Boraas (1974). Available at https://supreme.justia.com/cases/federal/us/416/1/case.html

Beneficial Indigenous Microorganisms (BIMs)

by Alan S. Cajes

The use of beneficial indigenous microorganisms (BIMs) is a

Compost Tea used by Malagos Garden Resort in Davao City

development in the use of effective microorganisms (EMs). BIMs, as the term implies, uses locally available organic materials to come up with a mother enzyme (no need to buy from manufacturers). Producing your own mother enzyme is cost-effective compared to buying one from the market.

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Assisted Natural Regeneration

Poblacion Norte, Batuan, Bohol

by Alan S. Cajes

In 1992, we started removing the Imperata or cogon grass that grew at the side of the hill where our house is located. We did this for safety reasons. We feared that fire would engulf the dry cogon grass, especially during dry season. This would put our family in danger because our house is located at the lower portion of the hillside.

In 2012, our hill side is now covered with trees – mostly mahogany and native trees like Molave or tugas. By removing the cogon grass, we hastened the natural successional processes. 

According to the Food and Agriculture Office (FAO), assisted natural regeneration (ANR) “is a method for enhancing the establishment of secondary forest from degraded grassland and shrub vegetation by protecting and nurturing the mother trees and their wildlings inherently present in the area”. The ANR:

• Is a cost efficient way of regenerating forest.
• Provides potential livelihood opportunities for communities.
• Contributes to strengthening biodiversity,
• Provides hunting areas.
• Increases carbon sequestration and carbon sinks which contribute to climate change mitigation.

Reading: Advancing Assisted Natural Regeneration (ANR) in Asia and the Pacific

http://www.fao.org/docrep/004/AD466E/ad466e00.htm#Contents